for parkour training. As a result he entered the creative realm of the sport. “Me and my dad...remodeled the basement and [built] one set of monkey bars going down and a little rock wall.” As soon as the basement was complete and ready for training, Max immediately intensified his Ninja practice regimen. “It’s all Ninja, three hours a day, seven days a week,” Max said. Max’s parents became more involved in his progress as he decided to intensely focus on Ninja. “I like that he’s down there working out and building Ninja obstacles instead of sitting on the couch playing video games all day,” Debbie Feinberg said. “It’s really given him a community and an outlet to be athletic and to be creative.” The family endures an immense amount of travel because of the sport’s lack of prominence in Virginia. “[We’ve been to] New Jersey, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, New Mexico and [recently] L.A. for filming for the TV show,” Debbie Feinberg said. “So, yeah, it’s a pretty big commitment, but Ninja competitions are really fun, so we’re happy to do it.” At age 14, Max’s love for Ninja led him to apply for NBC’s American Ninja Warrior Junior. Initially, Max had low expectations to be featured on the popular TV show. “So when I submitted [the application], I thought it would just be a ‘for fun’ thing,” Max said. “I did not think at all that I would get the call.” Because of the large number of applicants for the show, Max was shocked to receive a call back. “I knew over 10,000 kids applied, and they were only calling 64,” Max said. “I [was] like, ‘I’m a nobody in the sport right now. I highly doubt I’m getting the call.’ So when I did, I [was] like, ‘Oh my god, I gotta get prepared.’” A competition like American Ninja Warrior Junior is something Max had been training for his whole life. After watching the show for so long, Max felt ready to take on the course. “When I heard that someone leaked that it was a Ninja versus Ninja type course, all I trained was [my] speed leading up to it,” Max said. “[I kept thinking], ‘Go as fast as you can, be as efficient as you can get.’” After months of persistent training, Max’s
preparation helped him to calm his nerves in the spotlight. “I probably wasn’t as nervous as I should have been...when I was on that starting block. I was kind of scared leading up to it,” Max said. “I realized this is what I practice, what I’m good at. So I just shut the cameras and the crowd out and just focused on the course.” Max’s determination and focused state of mind led him to win the preliminary rounds and qualify for the semifinals, which will be aired on April 20. American Ninja Warrior Junior and the sport of Ninja has created numerous opportunities for Max in and out of the gym. Max has created lifelong friendships and introduced the sport of Ninja to his classmates as well. “About a year ago in eighth grade I [met Max] through band, and I didn’t know he did Ninja at the time,” Max’s friend Jake Barnard said. “When I started hanging out
with him he introduced me to [Ninja] and it was pretty fun, but it’s hard to get into it.” The world of Ninja is small in comparison to many other sports, and finding friends in the Ninja community is especially hard due to the limited amount of participants. However, American Ninja Warrior Junior introduced Max to a much larger Ninja community. “I [had] never met a whole crowd of people who were as interested in [Ninja] as I was. We’re kind of like the odd ones out, so it was cool to talk to them about their experiences and how they got into it,” Max said. “I [used to think] I [was] competing against them. Now I know I’m competing with them.” Max’s experience on the show has inspired him to continue to work harder. “You’re not going to win every time; you’re gonna have setbacks,” Max said. “You are going to have to keep moving forward.”
HANGING OUT — Max Feinberg trains hard at the gym, working on his strength for an upcoming competition. The rock wall is just one of the many obstacles Max uses to practice. (Photo courtesy of Debbie Feinberg)
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